1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing a disc shaped sample to be analyzed such as, for example, a semiconductor wafer or magnetic disc and, more particularly, to a device used in such analyzing apparatus for identifying a sample holder for holding the sample to be analyzed.
2. Description of Related Art
In the analyzing apparatus such as, for example, the X-ray analyzer, a variety of sample holders having dimensions and/or shapes that differ from each other according to types of the sample to be analyzed have hitherto been employed in order for samples of various sizes and/or shapes to be analyzed. If the sample holder that does not suit to the particular sample type is used, a problem has been recognized that one or both of the sample and the analyzer are often contaminated and/or the use of the unsuitable sample holder leads to a trouble in the analyzer. Accordingly, the patent document 1 listed below discloses an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in which a read-out head is arranged in face-to-face relation with a side face of a cylindrical sample container accommodating therein the sample to be analyzed and an indicium such as, for example, a sample identification label and/or an analytical condition specifying label is applied to the side surface of the sample container so that the analyzing apparatus can be controlled in dependence on the result of reading performed by the read-out head.
The patent document 2 listed below disclosed an X-ray analyzing apparatus designed to measure a sample, held by sample holder of a type in which a mask having defined therein a hole of a size (mask size) appropriate to the size of the sample is selectively fitted to the top of the sample to allow a measuring area of the sample to be exposed through such hole. According to the patent document 2, at least a surface of the mask is prepared from a material containing a specific element, the content of which in the sample is minute or zero and which is of a kind differing in dependent on the size of the mask size, so that the mask size can be determined by measuring the intensity of secondary X-rays emanating from the specific element.